A New Arrival
by edwardandbella4evah
Summary: What happens when the curtis boys are asked to take in an unknown cousin? She only has limited time to spend before she is taken away to a foster home. Read to find out what happens to them! takes place during the book! R&R please!
1. Chapter 1

Ponyboy's POV

I was waiting at the train station to pick up some little girl that the state told us we had to take care of from now on.

Apparently we have some little cousin that her parents don't want her anymore and seeing that we are her only relatives that she has they asked us if we could take care of her until they would find a foster home they could put her in.

Soda said he always wanted a little sister to take care of, Darry said that he didn't mind considering we are all old enough to take care of her, I just said whatever, but secretly I always wanted a little sister too.

I sighed and wiped some sweat off my forehead, it was sure hot outside, even hotter than august was supposed to be.

It didn't help that the train was late, I just wish it would hurry up and get here already.

Carlie POV

The train is almost at Tulsa.

My parents decided they didn't want me anymore, heck they didn't want me when they had me, but now they finally broke…

My parents beat me up as a habit, I have never lived a day where my parents don't beat me up, or when my dad isn't drunk. I have suffered the worst of abuses. My dad beats me up for no reason, and my mom either helps or laughs at me.

One day my luck changed and they told me that I would be sent to live with my older cousins until they could find a foster family to take me in. I haven't heard much about my cousins.

I hope they like me, almost everyone I see either glare cause of how I look or just ignore me, I haven't had a single friend in my life.

I have long almost thigh length pale blond hair, pale skin and blue eyes. I'm very small for my age, I look like I'm five but I'm really seven. My vocabulary is very big for my age because would always go to the library for something to do instead of being in my room all the time, I always liked to read big books. I'm also very thin, because my parents didn't feed me so I had to feed myself.

My parents fight when they aren't beating me.

They didn't even care when the lady who came to take me on the train took me and left the house. I could have sworn I heard them say "good riddance".

I glanced at the lady who was supposed to be escorting me.

She was busily flirting with the man a row in front of her.

She barely looked at me and when she did, she glared.

Was everyone in the world out to hate me?

I fell asleep and when I woke up the train was pulling to a stop.

The lady grabbed my hand and tugged me around trying to find my little luggage and my cousin who was supposed to pick me up.

I just hope that whoever my cousins are, they wont be like my parents.


	2. Chapter 2

Carlie POV

The lady pulled me up to a tall boy with blond hair and green, grey eyes, and she asked,

"Are you Ponyboy Curtis?"

He nodded and she gave him my bag and pushed me closer to him. She didn't say anything else, she just walked away, probably to find they guy she was talking to before.

He muttered something under his breath that I couldn't hear and then he held his hand out for me.

I took it and he led me to a small truck. There was another person there in the drivers seat.

I waited outside, I wasn't sure if I was allowed to come in, at home I wasn't allowed most places and I was shy.

He glanced over at me.

"come on, get in"

I climbed in, I had to sit next to him, because it was a small car.

"what's your name cutie?"Asked the guy in the front seat.

He was also blond and he looked older than my other cousin. He was very handsome.

I was shy so I didn't answer at first.

He glanced at me and smiled.

"my name is sodapop, but you can call me Soda. Now that you know my name tell me yours"

I took a deep breath and answered.

"c-ca-carlie"

He smiled and said "that's a pretty name"

I wasn't used to these kind of compliments so I shifted in my seat.

The guy that was sitting next to me asked ,

"how old are you anyways?"

"I'm s-seven, I'm a-almost eight"

He nodded and said. "oh I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Ponyboy, but you can call me Pony"

My stomach rumbled and I blushed. Soda laughed.

"we'll be home soon, why don't you rest your head for a bit?"

He didn't have to tell me twice, it was a long train ride.

I rested my head on the seat and closed my eyes, and I soon fell asleep.

Ponyboy POV

I saw this lady come up to me with this tiny looking little blond girl.

"Are you Pony boy Curtis?"

I nodded and she handed me the kid's bag and she pushed the little kid towards me and left.

I mumbled "what a witch" we had all agreed we wouldn't curse while the kid was around, it wasn't a good influence for her. I held out my hand to her and she took it.

I glanced her over. She had really long blond hair, when was the last time she got it cut? She also had the brightest blue eyes I have ever seen. She really was a pretty girl, but she looked like she was beat up a lot, she had a shy, scared look to her eyes.

I hopped into our truck. Soda was driving.

I noticed the girl was standing outside the car not really sure if she was supposed to go in.

I leaned out the car and told her "come on, get in"

She got in and scooted next to me.

Soda seemed to take a liking to her right away when he asked,

"what's your name cutie?"

She looked shy and didn't answer him at first.

He smiled at her and told her,

"my name is sodapop but you can call me Soda. Now that you know my name tell me yours"

She answered him back this time.

"c-ca-carlie" that was a cute name.

He smiled and said "that's a pretty name"

I was curious about something.

"how old are you anyways?"

she looked at me and said "I'm s-seven but I'm a-almost eight"

I nodded. I could see that she wasn't used to talking to people. What kind of a life did she have?

I just realized something. "oh I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Ponyboy, but you can call me Pony"

Her stomach rumbled and she blushed. Soda laughed.

"we'll be home soon, why don't you rest your head for a bit?"

She looked exhausted so she put her head on the seat and fell asleep quickly. I lifted her head and put it on my lap, and I stroked her hair while she slept.

Soda smiled. "she's a real cutie aint she?"

I nodded. "hey Soda, do you know anything about this girl?"

"no I don't, and is it me or does she seem scared of us?"

It kinda did seem like that.

"come to think about it, she does"

Wait until she meets Darry… I glanced at what she was wearing. A big sweatshirt and long jeans.

"she must be very hot in those clothes, it's august"

She snuggled closer to me when I said this. I put my arm around her and held her close.

We drove for another 10 minutes, until we pulled up to the house.

I picked her up and carried her to me and Soda's room, and laid her there on the bed.

I closed the door and wandered off to the kitchen to make dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

I woke up to an unfamiliar room.

I could hear loud voices and a TV running. I think it was Mickey Mouse. I haven't seen Mickey Mouse before, but I could hear it when I was walking down the streets where all the houses were.

I could hear lot's of boys talking outside the door. I slowly got up and opened the door to peek out and to see what was going on.

"Hey what's a lousy kid doing here?"

I jumped back. The guy that talked to me was scary. He was pale blond, and had scary ice blue eyes. I was really scared of him.

I stumbled backwards towards the room but I fell over.

All of the boys started laughing. I couldn't help it, I started crying. I wasn't used to people joking around with me.

I felt somebody picking me up and sitting me in their lap. I looked up, it was sodapop. He was stroking my hair and rubbing my back.

"Hey honey, don't cry, we weren't laughing at you." I sniffled.

"y-you weren't?" Ponyboy came over.

"Of course we weren't"

A guy with a Mickey mouse t-shirt came to me and sat down.

"Did mean ol' dally scare you?"

I nodded; he was probably talking about that guy from before.

A dark skinned boy came up. "Is this the kid you were talking about Pony?"

Ponyboy nodded his head. "Carlie, this is Johnny." Johnny smiled.

They guy with the Mickey Mouse shirt sat down on the couch. "You can call me Two-bit cutie"

I grinned and he continued, "I guess you already met Dally…"

He pointed over to a guy sitting next to Soda. "That's Steve, he's Soda's best friend." Steve glanced over at me and gave a small smile.

Two bit looked around trying to find something. He glanced at Soda, "Hey Soda, where is Darry?"

Soda stopped talking to Steve and said "Darry's at work, he should be back soon."

Dally got up from where he was sitting and asked Pony and Johnny if they wanted to go see a movie with him. They gladly went. Soda and Steve went out saying something about "seeing Sandy and Evie" Two bit had went somewhere.

After the house was empty I went to my bag and got out a book.

About half an hour later the house was still empty, and it started raining hard, with thunder and lightning and all. I hadn't ever heard thunder or seen lightning before because where we lived it doesn't rain that hard. The thunder scared me.

I got tired of my book pretty soon, so I turned on the TV. Some Mickey Mouse cartoon was playing so I sat down and watched it. I fell asleep about halfway through the cartoon. By the time I woke up, the house was dark and still empty.

I wandered around until I heard the door open.

"S-Soda? P-Pony? Is that you?"

I walked around trying to see them until I bumped into someone. I screamed and ran into the room I slept in before.

What if it was a crook? What if it was the state trying to take me back to my parents? I hid under the blankets and hoped that the person would go away.

I heard the door open and felt the light being turned on, and then the person left the room. But the person didn't leave the house. I could hear that the kitchen stove was running, and I could smell food was cooking.

I didn't know what to do so I just stayed inside the room. About half an hour later I heard the front door open, and I could hear Sodapop and Ponyboy come in.

I could hear soft murmurings and someone open the door to the room. It was Pony. I breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Hey Carlie… so I guess you ran into Darry huh?"

"Darry?" he smiled at me.

"Yeah, Darry is me and Soda's older brother, now can you tell me what happened, because Darry said he came in and he heard someone call our names, and he bumped into you. He heard you scream and he went to the room to investigate, he found you here…am I right?"

I nodded and sat up. "Well…you guys all left so I watched Mickey and then I fell asleep. You guys still weren't back and then I heard the door open so I thought it was you, and then I bumped into Darry. He scared me so I ran here and hid. The thunder scared me before too."

"Ah I see" I giggled.

"So, you want to come meet Darry for real?"

I nodded. "But will he like me?"

He looked at me like I was crazy. "Sure he'll like you, what's there not to like?"

I shrugged. Pony pulled me off of the bed and took my hand.

We walked towards the kitchen where I saw a man making dinner. Pony nudged me forward.

"Darry this is our cousin, Carlie" I became shy and slowly walked up to him. I was suddenly embarrassed of what happened before.

Darry kneeled down to my level; he was still pretty big though. I looked over him; his eyes were the first things I noticed. They were blue-green and they looked ice cold. His hair wasn't like the other boys, his was short, and it wasn't slicked back.

"Hi there, we sorta got off on the wrong foot, I'm Darry, and you must be our cousin."

"Hi, my name is Carlie"

He stood back up and continued to make dinner. "Nice to meet you"

I followed Pony back to the living room where I sat with Two bit to watch Mickey Mouse. After dinner we had the issue of where I was going to sleep.

"Well, she can't sleep on the couch"

"Or my old room, cause it's crammed with……stuff"

"How about she sleeps with me and Soda? We have room and she won't bother us, will she Soda?"

"I'm cool with it, how 'bout you Darry?"

He looked at Soda and Pony. "I'm not too cool with it but since it's for the time being, it will have to do."

That night I crawled into bed with Soda and Pony, I was sandwiched in the middle of them.

I fell asleep to the rhythm of quiet and peace, not like in my own home.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A few weeks later in the Curtis household**_

I was more settled in with everyone.

Soda was like the big brother I never had. He was kind, caring, sweet and funny. He could make me crack up no matter what situation we were in. Pony was like the best friend and second brother I never had. He was sweet, smart and he loved to read just like me. He lets me borrow his books a lot and he reads me a story before we go to bed. Darry was like a father. He was overprotective, he worked and cooked and cleaned. Sometimes he asks me to help him. He never lets me go out with the boys though, I wonder why.

Sometimes one of the boys would come back with scratches or bruises and no one would tell me why. Johnny would usually come home with the most bruises and cuts and I would always ask why he got them but no one would answer me.

Everything was the usual today. I woke up, got dressed, Soda braided my hair, ate breakfast, Pony went to school, Soda and me were going to work (Soda was watching me while he worked,) and Darry went to work too.

Soda and I were walking back when we heard a scream.

"Sweetie I want you to go back to the house now, I'll come by in a few minutes okay?" I nodded and he started running.

I walked back to the house wondering what could possibly be the matter. I was reading a book when Darry and Soda came in. I sprang up.

"What happened? Where's Pony? Is he okay?"

Soda picked me up and put me on his lap. "Pony's fine, he just had an…accident, Darry will stay home with you tonight, Pony and Johnny went to go see a movie with Dally and Steve and I are picking up Evie and Sandy for the game."

I sighed and got off of his lap. "As usual"

I was walking towards our room. "Wait Carlie come back here."

I turned around to face him. "What do you mean as always?"

"Ever since I got here you never took me out to a movie or gone out with me to dinner with me, I'm always stuck here with Darry."

I pouted at him and he came to me and put an arm on my shoulder. "Ok how about this, tomorrow we can go out and watch a movie, maybe Pony can come too."

"Just the three of us?"

"Yes just the three of us"

"ok!" he winked at me but Darry coughed.

I rolled my eyes. "Darry can we please go to the movies tomorrow?!"

He looked at me like he was thinking. "Well…"

"Pretty please! With sugar and ice cream and sprinkles and whipped cream on top!! Puh-leeze!!"

"When you put it that way…ok you can go" I smiled and Soda winked at me.

"Ok bout you have to promise me you'll be a good girl for Darry tonight" I smiled, he always knew I behaved.

"I promise."

"Good" He left to go get ready for his date.

I walked up to Darry and looked over the paper he was reading. "Watcha doing?"

He looked at me and sighed. "Reading…what do you want to eat for dinner?"

"I want grilled cheese please, can I help bake a cake for tomorrow?"

He stopped reading and looked at me "only if you practice you're spelling."

Ever since Darry got the idea of home schooling me he makes me practice every day.

"Fine…" I sat down at the table and did my spelling work.

A little while later Darry called me to help make the cake and then I ate dinner. A little while later Pony still wasn't home, Soda was though; he was watching TV with me. I was lying down on Soda's lap and he was playing with my hair, when Darry said that I had to go to bed.

"Aww come on Darry, Pony isn't even home yet!"

"Well I don't know why Pony still isn't home but you still have to go to bed."

I looked at Soda hopefully. He shook his head. "C'mon Carls, you should go to bed, it is pretty late."

"Great you've retreated over to the dark side."

When I wasn't looking he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.

"Dark side eh? Well then I guess I should use my special dark powers to destroy you!"

He threw me on the bed and started tickling me. "Gah Soda! S-s-top!!"

"Fine, fine, but you must go to bed."

I grumbled a "fine" as he kissed my head and I got into bed. I slept very well until I woke up and it was still dark outside.

I heard yelling outside. Who could be yelling this early in the morning? I crept out of the room and saw Pony was home but Darry was yelling at him.

"Pony? Soda? What's going on?"

Darry spoke up. "Go back to bed Carlie."

I stayed where I was though and Darry kept yelling at Pony.

"I said I didn't mean to--"

"I didn't mean to! I didn't think! I forgot! That's all I hear out of you! Can't you think of anything?"

I couldn't take it anymore; this wasn't the Darry that I knew. "Darry, stop yelling at him!"

Darry turned around to me and he looked angry…

"I thought I told you to go to bed! Go right this instant Carlie!"

"Darry…" Soda looked upset at Darry because he yelled at me and Pony; I could tell this wasn't a side of Darry they were all used too.

"Keep your trap shut! I'm sick and tired of hearin' you stick up for him!"

"You don't yell at him!" Ponyboy shouted.

Before I could calculate what was going on, Darry raised his hand and smacked Pony into the door. I gasped and Pony looked scared. How could Darry smack Pony for no reason like that? It reminded me of my…my…father. Pony ran out the door and I could hear Darry trying to get him to come back, he didn't go after him though.

I ran into the room and put on a sweatshirt and some jeans. I knew Soda and Darry wouldn't want me to go after Pony so I crept out the window. If Soda and Darry wouldn't go after Pony then I would.

I ran through the cold night until I saw Pony. He was walking in the park with…was that Johnny? I ran up to him and threw my arms around him. He looked shocked to see me.

"Carlie what the heck are you doing here?!"

"I came to get you, you have to come home! And…Darry scared me, he reminded me of my father…"

Pony bent down and picked me up.

"Its okay Carlie, we have to get you home now, it's dangerous for you to be out here this late at night."

Suddenly we heard a car come up. A couple of boys pushed Johnny to the side and they pulled me from Pony's arms so they could get him. I was pushed to the side as I saw them hurting Johnny, and one of them was trying to drown Pony. I rushed up to help him but someone grabbed my shoulders.

"Hey look, they brought a kid with them, probably got some girl knocked up…"

I tried to pry away from his hold. "Let go of me! I have to help Pony!"

He pushed a blade up to my neck. "Quiet brat or else you die."

I hushed up immediately. Was this the end for me? How about Pony? I felt the guy release his hold on me and I fell down his blade dropped too and scratched me on the knee. I got up to find that the boys ran away.

I went to Pony, he was soaked, head to toe. He put his arms around me, he was freezing!

Johnny looked scared and awestruck. "I killed that boy"

I glanced over next to him and there was a pool of blood with the boy that was drowning Pony.

"w-what?"

Pony let go of me and threw up on the side.

"I killed him," Johnny said again.

I was shaking and I'm sure it wasn't because it was cold. Pony came back and put his arms around his shoulders.

"You really killed him, huh, Johnny?" Pony whimpered.

Johnny looked terrified. "Yeah, I had to. They were drowning you, Pony. They might have killed you. They had a blade. And one of them was trying to hurt Carlie."

I went off to the side letting them talk; I didn't want to hear any more of this. I wanted to go home, back to bed where it was warm and safe

. I sat down and before I knew it I was crying. A few minutes later I could feel Pony's arm on my shoulder.

"Everything will be all right Carlie, we'll be okay."

"No we won't be okay! Johnny killed someone! I don't want to get in trouble, I just wanna go home."

"We can't go home Carlie, do you want me or Pony to get in trouble?"

I shook my head no. "Then please you have to be a good girl and listen to me and Johnny, whatever we say okay?"

"Okay Pony" He pulled me onto his back and carried me all the way over to some place I haven't seen before.

He knocked on the door and some creepy guy came out. Pony said that they wanted to see Dally. What could Dally do to help us? I can't believe why Pony would want to have Dally as a friend anyway. We went inside and saw Dally. Pony and Johnny told him our situation.

I could dent hear much because I fell asleep, hoping this was all a very bad dream.


	5. Chapter 5

_I was walking outside close to the store. I wanted to buy myself a treat because it's my birthday; it took me days to save up money just to buy myself a candy bar. I saw some teenage boys walking behind me, they were probably drunk or something cause they were walking all silly…I walked away from them only to have them catching up with me. I tried to run but they were too fast. I was screaming as they grabbed me and shoved me into a pile of mud. One guy lifted me up close to his face. "Hey what's your name kid?" I shook my head; I just wanted to get away. "Hey don't you know how to talk kid?" "Let me go! Please!" Another guy came up and laughed. "Kid, you should know, don't talk to strangers." That's all I heard before I blacked out. I finally came around to waking up. I picked myself off the street and staggered home. I opened the door only to hear the angry voices of my parents shouting. I was heading towards my room when my dad grabbed me. His breath smelled like alcohol and beer. "Hey…baby girl…we almost forgot…today's your birthday…" He took a broken beer bottle and lifted it up. "Consider this a gift from me and your mother…" I was scared out of my mind; he wouldn't let my arm go. "Happy birthday princess…" he slammed the broken beer bottle into my arm._

It was so cold. And hard, I thrashed around, I had to get away, it hurt so much.

"Please stop it! I didn't mean it!"

I felt someone thrashing my shoulders.

"Please dad stop hurting me I'll do anything!"

"Carlie wake up!"

I thrashed up. I glanced around. Reality clashed down at me, Johnny killed someone and we ran away.

Pony was next to me looking slightly frazzled. I hugged him hard while he stroked my hair.

"It was just a dream Carlie…"

I glanced around. "Where's Johnny?"

"He went to go get some supplies."

"Oh…"

I got up and walked around. It seemed to be we were in an old church of some kind.

I went back to Ponyboy and sat down on the floor. "Pony, what's going to happen to us?"

He seemed to be thinking the same thing because he had a faraway look in his eyes.

"I don't know Carlie, I just don't know."

I decided to stop with the questions because he looked really upset. Soon we heard a whistle. Pony went out to see what it was, he told me to stay in here just in case. About two minutes later he and Johnny came in with a big bag in their arms. They set it down on a table and started unloading the contents. I wasn't paying much attention until I heard Pony and Johnny arguing about something.

"What's going on?" Pony looked really upset.

"Johnny wants us to dye and cut our hair."

Oh, was that all…wait what am I talking about?! I love my hair just the way it is! I like it pale and blond; Soda says it makes me look unique. I also like it when Soda plays with my hair and braids it.

I pouted and started siding along with Pony, "I don't want to Johnny! Please don't make me do it!"

I was really starting to sound like a whiny little kid, but I didn't care. Johnny crouched down next to me.

" Hey kid, listen, remember what we told you in the park the other day?" I nodded.

"We told you to be a good girl and to listen to me and Pony right? Otherwise we will get in trouble, so please Carlie do it for me?"

Johnny looked really upset with his idea. I knew that he didn't want to cut his hair either, but we would get in trouble if he didn't.

I sighed and nodded. "Okay Johnny, I'll do it for you…"

He gave me a hug. "Good girl, now will you please try and convince Ponyboy?"

I walked over to Pony and sat on his lap.

"So I guess you have to go through with this too huh?" I nodded.

"Pony… It'll grow back…and ill like you no matter what you look like."

He looked up at me. "You mean that Carlie?"

I looked down. "Well yeah, you and Soda and Darry are the closest thing I've ever had to a family…"

He bent down and whispered in my ear. "I really like you kid like the little sister I've always wanted."

I glanced up at him; I hadn't expected him to say that.

"You've never told me that before."

"That's because I don't want Soda to be jealous."

I giggled. Johnny came over and sat down on one of the benches.

"So Pony you ready?" He glanced up wearily at him.

"Yeah, as ready as I'll ever be."

Pony scooted me off his lap. I picked myself up confused.

"Go Carlie, I don't want you to see this, why don't you go and play in another room?"

I didn't want to leave, but I did as I was told. I left and decided to explore the church. I didn't find much, so I decided to go outside to see if there was anything worth seeing. There weren't anything but I stayed just to see the scenery. You could see a lot here but then again I don't go out much. I could hear Pony calling my name so I went inside. When I got inside I had to look twice to make sure it was really him.

"Yeah, I know it's that bad, don't rub it in."

I walked over to him and patted his shoulder.

"No it just looks…different…besides you kinda look like me"

Johnny snorted. "Thanks anyway kid, but you wont be blond for long…Johnny's dying your hair red"

I blanked out for a second. I would be a redhead? I'm going from blonde to red? You have got to be kidding me…

"Carlie…Carlie you there?"

"R-r-red?"

Pony crouched down to my level. "Listen kid, did you make me dye my hair blond just so you could chicken out cause of a little color in your hair?"

I shook my head. "I didn't think so, besides your color isn't permanent like me."

"Oh"

He picked me up and put me on his lap. "You ready Carlie?"

"Y-yeah."

Pony signaled Johnny to come over. I sat still in his lap and tried not to move. I wasn't paying much attention to what Johnny was doing, rather the fact that very long strands of hair was falling on the ground. How much was he cutting off anyway? Pony saw that I was up set so he put his hands over my eyes and whispered "its okay, honey," over and over again in my ears. Johnny kept tugging at my head and it really hurt. I started crying and Pony hugged me tighter. With every cut I felt my head get lighter and lighter. Then my head felt very cold and sticky. Pony didn't uncover his hands from my eyes until the very end. He let go and I sat up.

Pony had his mouth open when he looked at me. Johnny was trying to stop his giggling. I sniffled. Pony studied me but was trying not to laugh.

"Well it d-doesn't look that bad…"

Tears were forming in my eyes. They were laughing at me? That is so mean! Well two can play at that game…

"I can say ten times worse things to you! Pony you look like a blonde headed monkey and Johnny you look like you had an encounter with a lawnmower!"

Pony and Johnny looked hurt. "Carlie, that's not nice…"

I was furious and tears were spilling down my cheeks like there was no tomorrow.

"It's also not nice to laugh at people when they didn't laugh at how ridiculous you jerks look!"

Pony came towards me and tried to wipe my tears away. I stepped back and pushed him away from me.

"Get away from me! I-I hate you Ponyboy Curtis!"

I ran away, I couldn't see where I was going but I still ran. I found some closet and shut myself in there. I could hear Pony's voice trying to find me. I was quiet except for my sniffling. I heard the door open but my face was hidden in my arms.

"G-go away," I managed to mumble.

"I don't think I will" It was Pony…

" Do you want to talk?"

"No" He sat down next to me anyway and rubbed my back.

"Listen honey, I'm sorry." I didn't raise my head.

"What for?" Even though I knew exactly what for.

"For laughing at you, you don't even look half bad, kinda like a little girl version of me except with blue eyes."

I lifted my head up. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

" Listen, I'm no Sodapop, but I'm trying my best to make you feel better and even though I know you're probably really mad at me right now, I just want to say I'm sorry."

"Pony……."

"Carlie listen, I'm just a kid, but Johnny killed someone and I now have to take responsibility, not just of myself but of you too, and I have no experience with kids…so please just cut me some slack."

Pony looked like he was trying really hard not to cry. He was only 14 after all. I walked over to him and gave him a hug.

"I forgive you." He pulled me and hugged me harder.

"Hey kid, I really am sorry but it means the world that you forgave me."

"Sorry I called you a monkey and a jerk."

"Hey, I'm sorry I laughed at you."

"S'okay…Blondie"

He threw me over his shoulder. "C'mon red lets go eat, I dunno about you but I'm starving."

I giggled. Same old Ponyboy, maybe things will be alright here.


	6. authors note! imprtant plz read!

Hey...sorry i haven't updated in a long time, i really would like too but i cant...

you see my computer's hinges broke off and my computer caught a HUGE virus...

we are still wating to buy a new computer, this is all i can update on short notice but i can tell you what to expect in the nxt chapter!

the scene with the fire will happen  
they will go back home  
sorry for all of you that didnt want this too happen but...johnny WILL have the "accident" (again really sorry, but hey i want to go according to the story)

so again really sorry that i cant update for awhile...

luv u all that read my storys!!

-edwardandbella4evah


	7. Chapter 7

We stayed out here for days.

It was really boring but Johnny and Pony kept us busy by reading Gone With the Wind, and by playing cards. Pony taught me how to play go fish, I also wanted to learn how to play poker, but Pony and Johnny just laughed and said I was too young.

It was pretty hard staying out, hiding so no one could find us. I was always hungry and tired. I hadn't slept all this week, the floor was too hard, the church had scary noises and I kept seeing scary things when I closed my eyes.

Also I missed Sodapop, he was always next to me when I fell asleep before, so it was kind of hard now. Pony tried his best to get me to sleep, but it didn't help much. He tried everything from rubbing my back to holding me, he even tried singing me to sleep, but no avail.

Tonight we watched the sunset, it was one of the prettiest things I've ever seen. Pony was reciting some poem next to me, but I didn't pay much attention, cause of how pretty the sunset was. At the end I did catch the word gold though.

When we went back inside, Pony kept trying to reason with me to fall asleep tonight.

"C'mon Carlie, you must be tired."

I shook my head, even though I was so exhausted I could barely keep my eyes open during the day, and Pony could see that.

"Carlie, please we need you to keep us company during the day, what if we hear news from Soda?"

I smiled a little, he knew how much I missed Soda. I shrugged and casually said, "I'll try, but I'm not promising anything…"

He was content with that. "Night red."

That was my new nickname, I didn't like it much, but he got a nickname to match. "Night Blondie."

He winced at the name. He still wasn't so thrilled with his hair. I wasn't either, but I wasn't complaining…for Pony's sake.

I rolled over and listened to the owls hoot for awhile. I was thinking about what was going to happen to us, I mean we couldn't just hide out forever. When would we go home? We were running out of money and supplies.

I was dozing off around close to morning when Pony woke up.

"You still up honey?"

I nodded and mumbled a "yes."

"Carlie, you must be tired, please go to sleep."

" I'm scared, what's going to happen to us Pony?" He sighed and looked up to the old, crackled ceiling.

" I don't know Carlie, but we gonna end up alright, okay?"

I nodded, my eyes slowly closing. Pony sensed I was falling asleep and started to rub my back.

"There now, go to sleep and in the morning we'll figure something out, okay?"

"m'kay…" I finally fell asleep for the first real time this week.

I woke up to what seemed to be 5 minutes later to Pony and Johnny talking. I tried to get up to see what was going on, but once I got some sleep I just wanted more. I mumbled, "Pony?"

He came to my side and kissed my head. "Hey honey, everything's okay, go back to sleep"

He needed not say anything more. "Kay…"

I was already drifting off to sleep. Though I could have sworn I saw Dally.

Once I woke up the church was drafty and empty. I rubbed my head, and eyes and called out, "Pony? Johnny?"

I picked up a note that was supposedly from Pony or Johnny. It said that Dally took them out for a bite, but they wanted to let me sleep so they would bring me back something later. I knew I saw Dally there. I saw a small part on the note that I hadn't read before.

_ P.S. Soda wrote us a letter, thought you might want to see it._

I picked up another note and read the part that was addressed to me.

_ Hey Carlie, if you're reading this I suppose you're safe with Pony. What were you thinking when you ran out like that? Darry and I have been so worried. We hope you guys will come back soon. Love Sodapop._

I almost cried when I read that letter. I missed them so much, and I really wanted to go back. I wonder what would have happened if I had never ran out like that, would things be different now?

I lied back down and decided there was nothing better to do then sleep some more.

I dreamed that I felt very hot, I was burning up. I woke up in a cold sweat and smelled smoke. I sprang up and saw a small fire close to where I was sleeping. I wasn't sure what to do so I ran out not caring if I was seen.

I sat down on the grass outside and wondered where Pony was. I was scared and didn't know what to do, so I started crying.

Later I heard a car pull up and thank god it was Pony. I ran up to him and almost choked him with a hug.

Turns out that I didn't notice that there were kids in the church. I stayed with Dally while Pony went inside with Johnny.

"Dally what's going on? I woke up and there was a fire next to me."

He shook his head and wouldn't look at me. "I don't know kid, now stop bugging me."

I stood there and tried not to cry at his sharp remark.

The next few minutes to me seemed like a big blur. One minute I'm standing with Dally the next I'm hovering over Pony in an ambulance waiting for him to wake up.

His face was smudged black because of the soot from the fire. When he finally did wake up I almost cut of his breathing with my hug.

"Pony, I was so scared!"

He breathed steadily and hugged me back. "I know, I'm just glad you weren't hurt in the fire."

We arrived at a hospital where we walked in and sat down on some chairs, I sat on Pony's lap as we waited to hear news about Johnny. Pony told me he got hurt from the fire. It was almost sickening to wait so long.

After awhile I realized I had to go to the bathroom. "I'll be right back Pony"

He nodded and lit up a cigarette. "just be back soon, and don't get lost, okay?"

I nodded and went off. I was wondering if this meant that we were going home now, would we get in trouble if we did?

When I came back, I smiled and hid behind a corner.

Soda and Darry were there. And Pony was hugging them, crying.

I almost cried too, but I didn't come out yet cause I didn't want to spoil the moment.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I pulled away from our family embrace and realized one member was missing.

I wiped away tears from my eyes, and wondered, was Carlie hurt in the fire?

"Pony where's Carlie, she didn't get hurt did she!?"

He shook his head but a questioning look came upon his face. "She did say she'd be right back, she couldn't have gotten that far could she?"

Darry shook his head. "Pony, how could you let a seven year old girl wander around an unfamiliar place all alone?"

"I didn't think she could get in that much trouble, it's a hospital for god's sake!"

I then saw a pale little figure with red hair walk up, no now make that running up to us. Could that be her?

"Soda!"

It was her! I opened my arms and embraced her in a huge hug.

"You scared us to death!"

She buried her face in my neck. "I missed you so much Soda."

I stroked her hair, "I missed you too baby, what the heck did Pony do to your hair."

She pointed a finger at Pony "He did it! Blame him"

He grabbed her out of my arms and started tickling her.

I couldn't help but smile, until I saw Darry take her out of Pony's arms.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I was so happy to have Pony and Carlie back at home, where they belong, but there was one thing I had to do before everything could be okay again.

I lifted Carlie out of Pony's hold, put her down and crouched down to her level.

"Carlie I want to say that I'm sorry for scaring you the other night, if I hadn't yelled than maybe you wouldn't have run out."

She simply smiled and said, "I forgive you Darry"

I gave her an awkward hug until she gave me a real one. S

oda then picked her up and we went home, within seconds she was asleep in the car.


End file.
